Plights of Nepalese students abroad

Pravin Chhetri, had almost forgotten that he had paid hundreds of thousands of ammount to the consultancy when he got visa. But After reaching London, college asked for money with him again. Consultancy had cheated on him by not transferring money to the college.

Pritam Shrestha of Pokhara had applied in one college of Ireland paying 5,500 Euro (Almost 6 lakhs and 21 thousands NRS). But his visa was rejected. Both college and consultancy hesitate to give his money back. He got his money back a year after, taking legal action.

Himal Kandel of Butwal has gone to study in London, in the Tier 4 visa. His college was blacklisted for not fulfilling requirements. He had to return back to Nepal without completing his degree. Aforementioned are just a few instances about how students are being cheated by educational consultancies in Nepal. Some consultancies also mislead students by saying, their people will come in abroad to receive students, they will take care of their dwellings initially, also help them to get jobs, etc etc.

It's normal for students to aspire for the international degree to keep the pace with global demand. Each year thousands of Nepalese students go abroad for study purpose. During 2067/2068; 11,912 had applied for 'No Objection Letter' from MOE( Ministry of Education). Lots of student had gone to London during Tier 4 visa rule to UK. Those students are being unable to utilize the opportunity of abroad-study nicely. Instead of studying, many students are doing jobs listening to others. It makes their abroad stay more complicated. They have to use negative means for visa and admission. They not only are
wasting a lot of money, sometimes they are also obliged to use the illegal means.

In Nepal, consultancies are even applying on behalf of students, with the fake academic documents. Some students who are doing so might be rejected before they get the visa. And those who get the visa will
have to get lots of tortures in abroad. It also creates negative images to the overall Nepalese students. There are some incidents of Embassy taking police actions in accusation of applying with fake
documents. The academic performance and their talent is all what it takes to get scholarship abroad, still consultancies are misleading the students wittering they can help them to get scholarship.
Consultancies can do absolutely nothing in the University admission process, scholarship application and Residence permit or visa Moreover, good universities want students to apply themselves instead
of using third party or agencies.

Every universities and colleges have their own criteria for the scholarships. Nowadays many colleges need 'Application Essay' for admission, with which they are examining the motivation level and
intention of student. That application essay should be written with regards to the previous experience of particular student. If students make other write essay for them, that could sound fake and off-topic.
It can have negative impact on admission and scholarship process.

In the visa process no country entertain any clouts. All information for visa process is available on the web page of specific country. And if students ask anything about visa to the embassy in their email,
they will reply in no time. If students cannot use that, it's the weakness of the student themselves. Rajendra KC (studying in UK since 10 years) says "We are wasting hundreds of thousands of money, for
the things which we can do ourselves free of cost."

Students should have idea about, which country they want to apply for?

What are the minimum requirements of the subjects they wish to study?

What is the reason of choosing specific subject?

Which university is best for the course they want to study?

What they need to have for the scholarship?

What is the admission criteria?

How is the visa process for corresponding country?

How is the job opportunity? etc.

If the students get the correct and reliable informations by themselves they don't have to face much hurdles in abroad too. A post-graduate student from Wageningen university Sita Batha Magar says
"It's very rare to get students exploring about their further study themselves in our case. They can take information from the students who are already there as well."

Foreign students are taken to benefit their country in most cases by many nations. There are lots of criteria and polices for the international students and most of the times they are in favour of native students. The rules are often being changed for international students. Some students fall in problem, when that country moves the goalpost. Currently working on UNFAO, Magar adds "We are underpaid because of our weak legal ground here. Forget about college tuition, that salary cannot cover even the food costs."

Students admitted in colleges with low tuition fees especially in UK and Australia experience such hurdles more often. Colleges with poor infrastructure, unmanaged examination system and which curricula is
not of university standard can be closed any time during regular government check up so students need to be aware of such things. Consultancies in Nepal are using such college as the stepping stone to
send students abroad anyhow and make boatloads of money out of that. So the series of suffering of Nepalese students is not stopped yet. 587 students were deported two years ago in Australia in accusation of
taking negative advantage with student visa. Among the deported ones, most the the students used to be absent in college, failing frequently and working against law.

Student who is fully committed to study and who completes his application by himself/herself, is doing really great as well. ECAN chairman Rajendra Baral said "Students who are on scholarship are less
likely to fall into troubles, but if the student's intention is work; that's is going to be the problem." And students who run out of money and starving students are not getting effective assistance from
government agencies and also from NRN. Student residing abroad for 2 years is only considered NRN so new students are not getting proper assistance from NRN.

Note: This article was originally written by Yadav Bhattarai Yadav Bhattarai is current President of WNSO. This article was published in Nepali in Nepal Magazine which was later translated in English by nepalihal.blogspot.com.